Illinois Iowa Center for Independant Living

For more information or to register for an event, please call 309.793.0090 or email iicil@iicil.com

11-30-2009
Christmas Carnival
The Annual Christmas Carnival for children with disabilities and their families will be held on: ... Read More
07-10-2009
ADA/Olmstead Celebration
The Board and Staff of the IICIL, would like to invite you to help us commemorate our Annual ADA cel... Read More
03-23-2009
Accessible Transportation Survey
Meeting the Challenge, Inc. received a grant from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and is co... Read More

News Article Details Title: National Housing Trust Fund
Date: 09-05-2007
Article Text:
Across the nation, people with disabilities,-mental illnesses, developmental and related disabilities, and physical disabilities-face a crisis in the availability of decent, safe, affordable, and accessible housing. Today, many still live in large congregate facilities or other inappropriate places like institutions or nursing homes. More than 700,000 people with developmental disabilities live with aging parents (one of whom is over age 65). For people who use wheelchairs or other mobility devices, finding housing with even basic accessibility features (such as an entrance with no steps) ranges from daunting to impossible.

The affordability gap for people with disabilities continues to worsen to alarming levels. According to "Priced Out" in 2006, on a national average, 4 million Americans with disabilities who rely on monthly Supplemental Security Income (SSI) of $632 for all their basic needs would have to pay 113.l% of their entire monthly income to rent a modest one-bedroom unit - up from 109.6% in 2004. For the first time, the cost of renting a smaller studio/efficiency rental unit also rose above monthly SSl income (100.1% in 2006).

A National Housing Trust Fund will address this crisis by creating a dedicated source of funding for the production, preservation and rehabilitation of 1.5 million affordable housing units in 10 years.

Specifically:

People who rely on SSI, veterans' pensions, or other low-income benefit programs as their source of income would be eligible for housing receiving Trust Fund dollars because of their low incomes. Units must remain affordable for 50 years to guarantee residents a home in which they could stay and establish a stable community.

All federal accessibility standards would apply to housing receiving Trust Fund funds, which will dramatically increase the availability of wheelchair-accessible affordable housing on the market.

All units must be at least visitable by individuals who use wheelchairs. Units not fully wheelchair-accessible must at least be accessible through the front door and in the restroom.

All fair housing laws would apply to housing built with Trust Fund money, including the Fair Housing Amendments Act which bars disability-based discrimination.

For up-to-date progress as this and other Housing bills that go through Congress, go to www.uktf.org or call (202) 662-1530.